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God's "clean-up" of the two kingdoms continues. God used Jehu to clean up the Northern Kingdom of Israel, now we go to the Southern Kingdom of Judah and see how it was cleaned up. God had assured David that his descendants would always set on the throne of Judah, here we see that linage almost destroyed.
Jehoshaphat was the 4th. King of Judah he had ruled for 25 years. He was considered a good king. When he died, his son, Jehoram, became the 5th. King of Judah. He killed all of his brothers to secure his reign. He ruled for 8 years and died at age 40 of a bowel disease. At his death, his son, Ahaziah, became the 6th. King of Judah. Ahaziah ruled for 1 year when he was killed by Jehu, King of Israel. At his death, his mother, Athalliah, became Queen of Judah. She was the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel. She killed all of her relatives missing only the young Prince Joash (Jehoash) who was saved by his Aunt who hid him for 6 years. Had she killed him also, the linage of David would have been terminated.
In the seventh year of the reign of Queen Athalliah, Jehoiada, the Priest, took the young Prince Joash to the Temple, surrounded him with guards and then anointed him as King of Judah. He was 7 years old when he became the 8th. King of Judah. He reigned for 39 years. As long as his Uncle, Jehoiada, lived, he was a good King but when his Uncle died all moral reforms were stopped. When Queen Athalliah heard of the anointing of Prince Joash as King of Judah, she ran to the Temple where Jehoiada, the Priest, had her taken to the Palace stables and killed. She had reigned for 7 years.
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